In fairness, none of the Jets linemen was happy with the end result. But, in the “what-positives-do-you-take-out-of-this-loss?’’ category, the Jets front four stands at the top of the list.

In fact, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, teams that have at least seven sacks in a game over the last three-plus seasons are now 36-4.

The Jets produced seven sacks, five in the first half, when it looked at times like they were going to run Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton right back to Cincinnati.

Jets second-year defensive end Leonard Williams, who had a terrific training camp and preseason, recorded 2.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries.

Steve McLendon, the former Steelers defensive tackle who was playing his first game as a Jet, had two sacks, three tackles for losses and two quarterback hurries.

Muhammad Wilkerson, the Jets top defensive lineman who just signed a mega-contract in the offseason, had 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries.

What makes this performance look even better is the fact the Jets did this without Sheldon Richardson, who was serving a one-game suspension Sunday but will be back for Thursday’s game against the Bills.

“When I got here and was in the OTAs [organized team activities] and I saw these guys with Leo [Williams], Sheldon and [rookie Lawrence] Thomas — and Mo wasn’t even in OTAs because he was rehabbing [his broken leg] — I was like, ‘Man, we got something special here,’ ’’ McLendon said. “We’ve got a common goal here: a championship. That’s all we’re thinking about. Unfortunately, we lost this one, but we’ve got a short week.

“We’ll help our offense more. We’ll get off the field, get the ball back to the offense. We’ll do the little things. We’ll get back in the lab and see the film, but it’s on to Buffalo.’’

Williams’ sack production on Sunday nearly matched the three sacks he had his entire rookie year in 2015.

“It feels good, but I don’t want to let it get to me,’’ Williams said. “I want to keep playing, keep building it for the season. We’ve got Sheldon back [this] week and we’re all excited about that. We’ve seen what we can do without him and we know that we can do more with him.

“We know what we have and we came out and proved it [Sunday]. We were definitely in a groove. We’ve been feeling comfortable playing with each other in camp, we know what we expect out of this D-line and we came out and went full tilt [Sunday].’’

Jets outside linebacker Mike Catapano, who started Sunday, called the Jets’ defensive line “the most talented bunch in the league; they’re a special bunch.’’